Actress Funke Etti alleges director demanded sex for role

The Nollywood actress says she lost a lead role after refusing what she described as an inappropriate advance from a film director

Nollywood actress Funke Etti has alleged that a film director attempted to pressure her into having sex with him in exchange for a lead role on a movie set.

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Etti made the allegation during an interview with media personality Doyin Kukoyi, where she recounted an experience she said occurred early in her career.

The actress said a producer had informed her that she would play the lead role in a film. She was subsequently asked by the director to meet him in his room.

Etti said she agreed to the meeting because she respected the director’s position of authority.

According to the actress, the meeting took an unexpected turn when the director allegedly attempted to lure her into having sex with him.

“He tried to lure me into having s3x with him, but I refused,” Etti said.

She alleged that the situation became more difficult after she rejected the advance.

Etti claimed the director subsequently approached the producer and told the producer that she was not suitable for the role.

“Shockingly, after I said no, the director went behind me to tell the producer that I wasn’t perfect for the role, just because I refused him,” she said.

The actress’s account highlights a long-running concern within the entertainment industry about the vulnerability of performers seeking opportunities and the power imbalance that can exist between emerging actors and industry decision-makers.

Allegations of sexual harassment and the use of professional opportunities to pressure performers into unwanted relationships have periodically surfaced across the global film industry, including Nollywood.

Etti’s account remains an allegation, and the director she referred to has not been publicly identified in the report or given an opportunity to respond to the specific claim.

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The actress’s decision to speak about the experience also adds to wider calls for safer working environments and clearer professional boundaries on film sets.